Escalators are an important part of modern day society. While escalators are made by different manufacturers, they are basically similar in operation. Each escalator has an endless chain of steps which is supported by rotating members at the ends of the escalator. Each step is pivotally attached in the endless chain so that they form a moving staircase on the upper side of the belt for carrying people and a relatively flat surface on the lower return side of the belt. Rail housings are provided on either side of the endless belt and support individual rails which move at the same speed as the steps on the endless belt.
Almost all steps used in escalators have a series of deep grooves in the tread which parallel the motion of the steps. These grooves lend non-skid properties to the steps, diverting any fluids from the top of the tread into the grooves.
As can be readily imagined, the treads and grooves in the steps accumulate dirt and grime constantly from the escalator traffic with the grooves catching most of the debris deposited on the steps. Also, the configuration of the grooves and treads make it very difficult to clean the steps. While the tread of each step is turned upside down as the belt travels about its course, most of the accumulated dirt and grime will not fall off due to gravity alone. The use of a vacuum cleaner or other vacuum device alone also have been found to be ineffective for adequate cleaning of the tread.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for efficiently cleaning the steps of an escalator. It would be most desirable to have an apparatus and method which is not labor intensive and which is relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate. Finally, the apparatus and method should be straightforward and easy for untrained personnel to operate.